Rhi-Peating Swings: #TheGrandaddy

12.17.2013

By:Rhiona Sullivan

You know what’s really hard? To write a blog about learning and playing golf when you never actually get out to PLAY. Talk about challenging, my friends.

My golf bag spent the month of November in the trunk of my car. It judged me every time I strategically placed grocery bags around it, and then shut the trunk without even saying hi. It may seem impossible to be guilt-tripped by an object but that’s the world I live in.

#TrunkClubs

November came and went. No golf. (If you’re counting, that’s three solid months without playing golf).

December 9th came, and I found myself on a bus headed to Palm Springs to play in my first competitive golf match. This ought to be a hoot.

Here are some things you should know about me:

-I get nervous talking to people I’ve known for years if the subject isn’t something I’m well versed in.

-I actually really don’t like to talk that much in general.

-Playing golf in a twosome with the possibility of being paired up with another twosome is my nightmare and causes me much anxiety.

-I had never been so nervous to play golf in my entire life as I was on that bus ride out to Palm Springs.

Luckily, Kevin (@T2GRN18) and Paul (@pkieldog) from The Hacker’s Paradise kept my mind off the coming matches by talking about work, life, their golf experiences and how much they’d enjoyed the trip thus far. Championship belts were passed around, trophies were on display and snacks were consumed. By the time we arrived, it was like we were one big team!

Tuesday morning, after a night filled with some delicious food and choice wine selections (Seth @sdiamondATL – you’re my wine enthusiast equal. Don’t you ever change!) – we headed to the fabulous Hideaway Club for what would be the time of our lives, but that morning it felt like I was walking the plank. I mean seriously guys, I am supposed to compete and help my team win. It’d been so long since I last played that even the clubs felt awkward in my hand.

After hitting 10 balls on the range I knew it was going to be a LONG, LONG day. Group picture followed by a group huddle and we were off for Match Play.